


Hidden Wishes

by HimikoToga



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, rei is there for like a minute, this is a very late thing for shu's birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-18 16:55:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21280097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HimikoToga/pseuds/HimikoToga
Summary: Oh, this is a joke." He thinks, "Someone must of done it while I was out."He goes to shut the tab before feeling something cold touch his hand. He looks down at it and sees the doll, leaning forward so he can place a hand on Kaoru's."Oh, this is a sick joke from god." Kaoru thinks. He then resists the urge to scream like a chick in a horror movie.
Relationships: Hakaze Kaoru/Itsuki Shuu
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Hidden Wishes

**Author's Note:**

> The pairing (kaoshu) and theme (dolls) were based on twitter polls i held. anyway sorry shu this is late i was playing a fgo event. Please enjoy!

Getting a doll as a gift was not something Kaoru expected or wanted. But alas, now he has it.

A doll maker began working under his father and gifted it to Kaoru as an example of his work. Kaoru graciously accepted it, not wanting to reject something that had been made for him. He planned to wait a few years and then donate it, no point keeping something he doesn't want around the house.

However, something sticks with him every time Kaoru passes by that doll. The doll maker had said to him after introducing the doll, "His birthday is October thirtieth, make sure to prepare something for him."

Kaoru thought nothing of it, assuming it was just a creator's passion about his work. He eventually forgot about what was said all together, it wasn't even a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. The doll is just a pretty thing that sat on a shelf that Kaoru may have turned backwards so he didn't have to look at his glassy, unblinking eyes. (He didn't like the fact it could see him change, okay? That's normal.) 

There is no buzzing in his mind about anything as he wakes up on the thirtieth; he gets up, heads to take a shower and returns to his room, putting on his school uniform. He's buttoning up his shirt when a faint glint catches his eye. It's the reflection of light off the eye of his doll. 

Strange, he thought he turned it around. Kaoru walks over to the doll and picks him up, "Hey Itsuki-kun," That's the first time he's said that doll's name in a long time, "Whatcha lookin at?"

The doll doesn't answer. Kaoru didn't expect it to.

"Riiiiight," Kaoru says, putting the doll back in his chair, "Nice to see you." He then flips the chair back towards the wall.

With peace of mind restored Kaoru finishes dressing and goes downstairs to have breakfast and head to school where he will skip class. And then he'll skip club and practice to go on a date. All and all, he has a great day, void of any other creepy instances. So much so that the memory of the doll seeps to the back of his mind.

He doesn't even check the position of the doll when he finally returns to his room. Instead Kaoru heads to his desk to use his laptop, leisurely browsing the net until his sister calls him down for dinner. 

It's after dinner the doll strikes again as Kaoru comes back to his room and sees it sitting by his laptop on the desk. Kaoru feels a shiver down his spine as he walks over to the desk. Briefly, the laptop screen catches his eye and what's on it prevents him from going to grab the doll. It's open to some website he's never heard of, selling accessories for dolls. 

"Oh, this is a joke." He thinks, "Someone must of done it while I was out."

He goes to shut the tab before feeling something cold touch his hand. He looks down at it and sees the doll, leaning forward so he can place a hand on Kaoru's.

"Oh, this is a sick joke from god." Kaoru thinks. He then resists the urge to scream like a chick in a horror movie.

The doll paps his hand against Kaoru, trying to urgently signal something and Kaoru crumbles to the floor. His life has suddenly become a horror movie and he was going to die at the hands of a doll that was gifted to him. That doll maker must have had it out for his father and and now it's attacking him in his father's place.

Kaoru's dreading thoughts are interrupting by the clacking of a keyboard. He looks up from his position on the floor to see the doll tapping at the keys. 

"What on earth is it doing?" Kaoru thinks, slowly standing up so he can peer at the screen. 

He's on the page to purchase accessories, seeming foiled by the lack of a credit card. 

"Guess it sucks to suck." Kaoru says, and the doll whips his head around to look at him. Kaoru freezes up before slowly waving. "Heyyyyy there. Buddy."

"My name is Itsuki Shu, you were able to address me as such earlier, why stop now?" Shu replies. 

"Great, Itsuki-kun, I see you're alive." Kaoru says, really not liking communicating with a doll.

"I've always been alive, this is just the time I'm freely able to move around during the day." Shu completely turns around, kneeling on the laptop as he looks at Kaoru.

"Right. So I've always been haunted." This really is a sick joke from god. Or maybe Kaoru's cursed.

"Haunted means I'm possessed by a ghost. There is no ghost inside me. I'm simply living, much like you are." Shu explains, pointing a hand at Kaoru. Huh, it seems his fingers can't move although his wrists can. It must be the way he's built. 

"How are you alive?" Kaoru asks.

"I was simply bestowed with life." Shu says.

"Right. Of course. That's how it works." Kaoru nods, not sure how anything is working. 

"Now, I need something from you." Shu points at the laptop screen, "Give me your credit card information."

"Uh. No." Kaoru replies.

"I need it to buy myself a gift since you've failed to do. Unless you plan to surprise me with something now." Shu pats the trackpad with his hand.

"Why do you need gifts?" Kaoru asks.

"Because it's my birthday. Weren't you told about it?" Shu responds.

Suddenly what the doll maker says flashes back to Kaoru. Maybe if the doll maker had told him that his doll would come to life and haunt him Kaoru would've gotten the doll a gift. It seems a bit too late now.

"Dolls have birthdays? You're not really born." Kaoru asks.

"It's the day we're finished." Shu says. 

"Right. Listen. I don't think I'll be getting you a gift." Kaoru replies.

Shu smacks his hands down which for a moment convinces Kaoru that Shu's hands will break. Thankfully they do not. It'd be hard to explain how the doll broke to his family. "How dare you!" If Shu could change facial expressions Kaoru bets he'd look furious. 

"You're a doll. We don't celebrate a doll's birthday. What would I even give you?" Kaoru says, moving to grab Shu who scurries away, hiding behind the laptop.

"I've already chosen my gift! I just need you to purchase them!" He leans slightly out from behind the laptop and points at the screen.

Kaoru looks at the screen. "Why do you need so many?"

"You've never brought me anything before. I'm lacking in accessories and other clothing."

Kaoru squints and starts clicking things from the cart. There's no way Shu needs that many.

Shu runs out from behind the laptop and grabs onto Kaoru's wrist, well, the best he can with unmovable fingers. "Stop this at once."

"I'm making this more reasonable. If I got tons of doll stuff suddenly my family would think I've gone looney." Kaoru say, continuing to click things away.

"At least let me choose my favorites." Shu says, releasing Kaoru's wrist so he can try to climb over it. He fumbles slightly and falls to the keyboard. Now Kaoru feels Shu is even more furious. "Have you no idea that porcelain can break? You could at least try to catch me."

Kaoru grips Shu by the scruff of the back of his shirt and lifts him up in order to right him. "This better?"

Shu huffs, which Kaoru thinks looks rather strange considering that Shu's face is incapable of movement, and brushes himself off. "If that's the best you can do."

Kaoru feels a bit insulted. Considering he was just insulted. "I'm new to the care of dolls. The one I owned is supposed to stay in a chair where it can't get hurt."

Shu says nothing for a moment. "I suppose. But it goes boring to stay there. Staring at a wall."

Knowing the doll is alive makes Kaoru feel sort of bad that he made Shu stare at a wall. And then he feels horribly embarrassed knowing that Shu could, in fact, see him change when he wasn't facing the wall. "Well! You saw me naked when you weren't facing a wall."

Shu makes direct eye contact with Kaoru. "Yes. I did. You have a very attractive body."

Kaoru flushes. "This is why you face the wall."

"Is it?" Shu cocks his head to the side. "I thought you were scared of me. What a relief." 

Well, technically he was scared, scared of a doll seeing him naked. And he's still somewhat scared now as a doll is alive in his room, asking for things. "Course not."

Shu puts a hand on Kaoru's hand, possibly to show affection. Kaoru tries really hard to not stiffen up. "Thank you. Few people appreciate dolls now a day. Just those with taste. It seems you're one of them."

Kaoru will not bring up how he is actually not one who appreciates dolls. "Really? I thought dolls were super popular with kids?"

Shu crosses his arms,"Hah, those are hardly dolls. I am of much high caliber. Can't you see?"

Kaoru knows nothing about dolls but nods anyway. "I guess you're, like, sculpted? Out of glass."

"I am not something to be so carelessly played with either." Shu says.

"Uh-huh. Listen if you really want a present you can choose one thing. I told you how I'd feel about buying tons of doll stuff." Kaoru says.

"One thing?" Shu asks.

Kaoru nods. Shu pauses and then looks up at Kaoru with those glossy eyes. "Than I'd like you to spend more time with me."

"I can do that." Kaoru says, "Are you just animated forever now?"

"Only during the nights, as I've said earlier." Shu says, standing up. "You may have to stay up later but you must do so as it is my gift."

Looks like Kaoru dug himself in a hole. "No problem." Kaoru goes to pick Shu up who dodges his hands. 

"Unless you plan to go to bed now there's nothing to stop you from spending some time with me now. And I know you don't head to bed early." Shu says.

It's true, Kaoru never went to bed this early. But he's starting to think he's in a fever dream and that sleep will help. However, he feels like lying will only worsen the relationship between the two. "What would we do together?"

"We could watch a, how do you say it, mo-vee? Or a tee-vee show?" Shu says.

There's no way Shu hasn't heard Kaoru say those words so he has no idea why Shu can't say it. "We could watch a movie. Is there any genre you'd like?"

"Guhn-ra?" Shu repeats.

"It's like a category." So the doll knows how to speak and move and say some words but not all? What a world, Kaoru thinks.

"I like high arts." Shu says.

Kaoru had no idea what movie would fit under the genre of "high arts." He decides a Disney movie is close enough to high arts. They are world famous, right? He pulls up Cinderella and plays that. "How's this?"

"What is this called?" Shu takes a seat on the desk directly in front of the laptop.

"Oh, It's Cinderella. It's a story about a girl who becomes a princess." Kaoru says, taking a seat in his desk chair.

"A commoner who becomes a princess? How odd." Shu says as the movie begins.

"It's a good movie." Kaoru says, he did think that as a child so it's no stretch to say that now.

"If you say so I believe you." Shu's kneeling, hands in his lap.

"Trust me, I got excellent taste." Kaoru winks.

Shu doesn't see it, too focused on the starting movie. He sits in silence, making no comments which makes Kaoru unaware of whether or not Shu's enjoying it. 

"Do you like it?" Kaoru asks, halfway through the movie, tapping a finger to Shu's shoulder.

Shu swats at the finger the best he can, "I was silent, was I not? That means I was enjoying it."

"Usually people make some small talk when watching out of theater." Kaoru says.

"A theater?" Shu questions.

"You know. A big place with lots of seats where people watch things." Kaoru replies.

"Like movies?" Shu asks.

"Movies or plays. Or operas." Kaoru answers.

"What are the last two?" Shu asks which began a trail of questions that last almost to the end of the movie. 

When it finally ends Shu turns to Kaoru. "That was lovely. May we watch more of these?"

"Well, not now," Kaoru says.

"Why not?" Shu asks.

"Because movies take a long time to watch. Have you never noticed it while seeing me watch them?" Kaoru says.

"I have no sense of time. I am a doll after all." Shu says.

"I thought you said you woke during the night? And hey, how'd you know it was your birthday?" Magic dolls sure are confusing. Kaoru wishes this could be easier to understand.

"These things are built into me at the command of the doll maker." Shu stands up and walks to the edge of the desk so he can be closer to Kaoru.

"Do all his dolls come to life?" Kaoru asks.

"Of course not. He'd've been hunted by the government if he had that power. It's only me for I was a gift." Shu says proudly.

"He made you alive because you were a gift for me?" Kaoru will not follow up with how weird that is. "If you're a gift why do I have to get you gifts?"

"It's only fair. After all..." Shu trails off. "After all." Shu starts again.

"After all?" Kaoru repeats.

"After all. Oh! I know there's some reason. It's important for some reason!" Shu stamps his foot in frustration.

"I'm sure you'll remember." Kaoru says. "You'll stress yourself out thinking too much."

Shu sighs, another thing Kaoru found strange as Shu's face was unable to move. "I suppose I will." He looks off in the distance. "So no more movies?"

"Nah, I gotta go to bed." Kaoru gestures to the bed. 

"Right. The night continues onwards and humans must sleep." Shu reaches his arms up, "Place me back in my chair."

Kaoru stands up and offers his hands out. Shu climbs in them then taking a seat. Shu feels cold against Kaoru's hand. Kaoru doesn't make a comment on it. Instead he lifts Shu up to the shelf where his chair rests. "Here."

"Merci." Shu says, climbing off Kaoru's hand, rotating his chair, and sitting inside it. 

So Shu didn't know movies or theaters but he did know french. How strange. But that is something Kaoru will muse over later. 

Later being when he's staring at the chalkboard the next day, wondering if any of that truly happened. Kaoru goes through the day in a daze, consumed by the thoughts of what happened last night.

He skips his date of the day and returns home, walking to the shelf right away to look at Shu. Kaoru taps a finger to Shu's torso. Shu doesn't move at all. Kaoru picks Shu up and holds him. 

Shu doesn't move.

Either Kaoru had only dreamed Shu moves around or. Or Shu really does only move around at night. 

Kaoru goes to place Shu back into the chair before hesitating. Instead he places Shu down in front of the laptop. That way he won't have to move Shu down from the shelf later.

Kaoru stares at Shu for a few minutes before speaking, "Wakey-wakey."

Shu does not move.

"Right." He stares at Shu for a bit longer before sitting down at the desk chair and using his laptop, carefully working around Shu. He's constantly waiting for Shu to move.

It's not until he's checking his phone, responding to a few texts from girls, does Shu move. "Good evening." Shu says and Kaoru fumbles with his phone.

"So you're alive?" Kaoru asks, just making sure.

"We went over this yesterday. I'm alive at night." Shu points at the window. "The sun's gone down so I'm awake."

Kaoru looks over at the window. The shades are shut so he'll take Shu's word for it. "So as it sets you're alive?"

"That's how it goes." Shu looks around, "Have you brought me down here early?"

Kaoru nods, "I thought it's be easier to have you down here now instead of fetching you later."

Shu nods, "How thoughtful. We're by this thing again, are we watching another movie?" 

"Thought you'd like to." Kaoru switches tabs, "This one is Snow White."

"Snow White? Are we to small talk during this one too?" Shu asks.

"Only if you want to. I usually do on dates." Kaoru says.

"What's a date?" Shu asks.

Right, this again. "You know when I bring girls over?" Kaoru says.

"And you get naked and rub against each other?" Shu says.

Kaoru's sure he's never blushed this much before. "N-no. That's something different."

"Oh, what is it?" Shu asks.

Kaoru finds himself stammering and tripping over his words as he struggles, and fails, to explain what he was doing.

"It was sex, of course." Shu says, he seems smug although that is only Kaoru's guess of how Shu's feeling. He did have no facial expressions to read. "I just wanted to see how you would explain that."

"What? That's so unfair!" Kaoru pouts. "How do you know what sex is but not dates?"

"I cannot control what I know or what I don't. I do aim to know more though." Shu says, successfully managing to start the movie. "So what is a date?"

"It's like when two people hang out and do stuff together. Like watch movies and go out to eat together. Just enjoy each others company." Kaoru says, this is much easier to explain than sex.

"Oh, so these past two nights have been dates?" Shu turns to Kaoru. "How pleasant."

"No!" Kaoru says a bit too loudly, "Dates are romantic! You know what romantic is, right?"

"Of course I do." Shu says, turning back to the movie. 

"Right, well, I'm only romantic with girls." Kaoru says, mostly assuring himself.

"With girls? How specific." Shu says.

"It's not specific. Everyone's got tastes in romance." Kaoru feels kind of odd explaining this out to someone. 

"I see. Even the people in these movies?" Shu asks.

"I mean. Technically no. They're not real." Kaoru says.

"I'm not real. Is that why I don't have these tastes?" Shu says, taking up the kneeling position from yesterday.

Kaoru's not really sure how to respond to that. Instead he just changes the topic. "What do you think of this movie?"

Shu's very quiet, he must be processing it, Kaoru thought. "It's a movie." Shu says.

"It sure is." Kaoru responds.

"I feel bad for her." Shu says.

"It's okay she-" Kaoru pauses, not wanting to spoil the movie, "She gets better."

"Better?" Shu repeats, "That's lovely."

"This stuff always gets better." Kaoru says.

"So it does." Shu responds, getting absorbed back into the movie. Despite saying he'd small talk Shu remains mostly quiet until the end.

"It did get better." Shu says. "How joyful."

Kaoru assumes Shu's smiling, he is just reading the aura Shu's giving off. "Did you enjoy the movie?"

"I did. These movies you've been showing are very lovely. You have excellent taste" Shu says, nodding his his head. 

Kaoru felt almost flattered. Well, he did feel flattered but he didn't want to accept these feelings were from a doll, let alone a boy doll. Maybe if Shu was a girl doll it'd be okay. He didn't realize how deeply he was thinking about this until Shu speaks up again.

"My, cat got your tongue? Did my flattery take your breath away?" Shu says, as dramatic and flamboyant as a doll could be.

Kaoru snaps out of it. "I zoned out for a second, you liked the movie right? I'll play another."

"Another? We have the time to watch another today?" Shu says, sounding excited. Or, Kaoru at least thinks so. Hopes so.

"I got a bunch of these lined out for to watch over time." Kaoru says, reaching around Shu to flick to another tag. "This one is Sleeping Beauty."

"Sleeping Beauty." Shu repeats.

"Yeah, she's another princess. By the same company too." Kaoru says, hitting play.

"Princess. Company." Shu repeats, "These are much like how many dolls are made by the same doll maker."

"I guess." Kaoru responds.

"By those terms I am like a princess." Shu says.

That's a big jump, Kaoru thinks but refuses to say. "A doll princess?"

"Of course. I'd be the best type. Eloquently sculpted, put together with the finest care, and delivered right to my prince." Shu says, standing up and bowing, mimicking those he's seen in the movies.

"Huh?" Kaoru says, utterly shocked, "I'm no prince! Not to a man at least." Kaoru makes frantic hand movements, trying to get across his point.

"Perhaps instead I'm a proposal gift." Shu says.

"That's even stranger! I'm not marrying your creator! I don't even know his name!" Kaoru says, jolting up from his chair and pacing.

"So I'm not marriage related?" Shu asks.

"Of course not. You're just a gift." Kaoru says, turning on his heel to face Shu again.

"Just a gift?" Shu clasps his hands together, or to the best of his ability he can do with the way his hands are molded, "I got it! A gift presented to a lonely boy as a friend?"

"I'm not lonely, okay?" Kaoru says.

"So why am I here? I know I'm a gift but why was I gifted?" Shu asks, questions Kaoru can't answer.

"Good will?" Kaoru tries to answer.

"Good will? How lack luster." Shu then clicks to start the movie.

"Uh. I guess." Kaoru says, sitting back down, trying to contain the sudden burst of energy the conversation gave him.

This movie goes down in mostly silence until the prince kisses Aurora awake. Shu moves forward, hitting the pause on the movie.

"Why'd you do that?" Kaoru asks. He may have been browsing his phone and totally not paying attention to the movie. He wouldn't have said anything if he didn't hear the audio stop. At first he thought an error happened before seeing Shu on the laptop.

"I want to see the kiss again. Let's rewatch." Shu says.

"We don't need to do all that. Hold on," Kaoru says, rewinding the video slightly to play the kiss again.

Shu scrabbles closer to the screen, watching the scene as intently as one can. Kaoru couldn't tell what on earth Shu was thinking or feeling.

"Play it again." Shu says and Kaoru does.

"Why are you so absorbed in that scene? Let me guess, you're a sucker for a good romance. I am too." Kaoru says.

"Non. I was simply confused on how her body knew she loved him." Shu says.

"Well, he was made to be her husband as soon as she was born. And she had dreams about him. And he came and sang with her. Fought off the dragon." Kaoru explains as Shu turns to look at him.

"But she was asleep during most of that." Shu says.

"They were in love though. In her heart she dreamt of him so many times knowing he'd come for her." Kaoru says.

"Dreams?" Shu looks at Kaoru, however Kaoru feels like Shu is looking right through him.

Kaoru doesn't say anything in response and Shu stays quiet as well. In a period that feels like forever Shu finally says something, "I have something close to them while I can't move."

"When you can't move?" Kaoru repeats.

"Oui, it's not as if I'm sleeping but as if I'm on pause. I can see things at that time." Shu says. 

Kaoru doesn't quiet know what Shu's talking about. In the short time he's known Shu he's never wondered about what Shu does when not with him. 

Shu continues, "My happiest are not of romance like Aurora's but when I'm tall like you. Able to move my fingers like you. I'd happily dance around like she did."

Kaoru wonders why Shu wouldn't want to emote but that's not important. "You want to be human?"

"And full of flaws? Of course not! I want to be human like, not human. Fully articulated, you know."S hu says, holding up his hands and showing his fingers, "I'd like to move these."

Kaoru, in turn, flutters his fingers. "These are kind of fun to move." He says then holding a finger out to Shu.

Shu moves to touch his hand to Kaoru's finger. "It seems so. Perhaps I'll be able to one day."

Kaoru doesn't want to point out how impossible that is so instead he draws his finger away. "You should wish for something higher."

"Higher?" Shu repeats.

"Like to be princess." Kaoru jokes.

Shu tilts his head, "That'd be ridiculous. You already said I'm not a princess."

It seems like Shu was not quite getting what Kaoru is saying. Kaoru decides not to try to explain it. "So you just wish to be humanoid?"

Shu nods as the movie reaches its end. 

"I suppose that's a good wish considering you're a tiny doll." Kaoru says.

"I'm not tiny. This is just the average size for a ball jointed doll." Shu says and Kaoru guesses Shu's somewhat pissed off.

Kaoru can't help but laugh. Shu crosses his arms at that. "Alright, alright, you're not tiny."

Shu nods, "Thank you. You're forgiven."

"Huh? I was in trouble?" Kaoru asks.

"Of course you were. You laughed at me." Shu says.

"What you said was just so funny! You were so defensive over this." Kaoru almost laughs again.

"I refuse to let dolls be taunted." Shu says.

"Right, right." Kaoru nods.

Shu looks down. "Is this the end of our night?"

"Ah," Kaoru says, "I guess. I got school tomorrow after all." Kaoru offers his hands out for Shu to sit on.

Shu places his hand on Kaoru's for a moment. Things felt still. Kaoru became aware of his own breathing. Shu then climbs onto Kaoru's hands. "Take me away." Shu says, dramatically.

Kaoru snickers at that and this time Shu seems proud. He rises Shu up to the shelf where Shu climbs onto the chair and sits down. Kaoru then heads to bed.

Waking up in the morning Kaoru checks Shu, once again poking at Shu's torso. Once again he doesn't move.

It's worth a try, Kaoru thought.

School and his dates go by in a breeze today. Shu lingers in Kaoru's mind as the day passes. What Shu knew and didn't know, what Shu dreams of, all these things drifts through Kaoru's head. He would mentally note down things to ask Shu when they met again.

Once again Kaoru picks up Shu and sets him down again. He decides that perhaps kneeling down all the time would hurt Shu's knees, well, if Shu could feel pain. Huh. Kaoru would have to ask about that. He folds up a tie he has laying around and sets Shu on top of it. 

Now, to wait. Or he should wait, until Kaoru gets a call of a girl asking him to go somewhere. Deciding he has time Kaoru heads out. Not before leaving a note to Shu in case he was late. Hopefully Shu could read.

On the date Kaoru's mind is still plagued by Shu. Walking along the streets, gazing at the changing leaves as him and the girl drink warm drinks, Kaoru picks up a leaf he finds especially beautiful and pockets it. The girl teases him for it and he jokes along with it. But he is only trying to show Shu what he thinks he doesn't know.

Kaoru returns just after sunset to an impatient Shu, holding a neatly folded sheet of paper which Kaoru guesses is the note. 

"Before you get mad," Kaoru says, sliding into his seat and bringing out the leaf, "I got you this."

"A leaf?" Shu says, taking it and looking it over. "Aren't these supposed to be green?"

"They change colors with the seasons. Some fall from the trees too. Land right on the ground." Kaoru hopes he was explaining this well enough.

Shu holds the leaf above him, letting the artificial light of Kaoru's ceiling lights shine through it. "It's beautiful." Shu says softly. 

Kaoru feels accomplished, he's done something special he'd never been able to do before. "You like it?"

Shu nods, moving to hug the leaf against his chest. "Are we watching another movie today?"

"Yup, Beauty and the Beast. It's by the same company as the last few." Kaoru says, starting the movie.

"They're very creative." Shu says, settling down on the tie, still holding the leaf to his chest. "I wish to create art some day."

"Yeah?" Kaoru says, "What do you want to so?"

Although his facial expression is unreadable Kaoru feels as if Shu is reminiscing. Shu tilts his head to the side. "I've always want to try sewing but, as you can see, I'm unable to due to how I was built." Shu laughs and Kaoru can't tell if it's from sadness or defeat. 

Kaoru didn't like hearing it. "There's other art forms. Like singing, they do those in the movies." Kaoru is going to explain before Shu cuts in.

"I know what singing is. I've never tried it before. It'd bother you when sleeping." Shu says.

Kaoru won't comment on the ending part. "I go to a school for music. I'm an idol."

"Idol? The representation of god?" Shu says.

"Not that term. The performing type. They sing and dance, stuff like that." Kaoru changes from the movie to a new tab of an Undead performance. "Here's my group." 

Shu stays quiet during the performance and Kaoru hopes it's in awe. At the end Shu turns to face Kaoru. "How impressive. That's an art form I can truly admire." Shu nods, "That's another thing I can dream about." Shu laughs, placing the leaf down so he could do an improv dance.

"Pretty impressive for someone with no experience." Kaoru says, grinning at Shu. "You'd have to sing to go along with it."

"I don't have the time to come up with lyrics. But I suppose I could sing a song I've already heard." Shu then perfectly mimics Kaoru's part.

"For someone who's never practiced you're pretty good." Kaoru says, downplaying the fact he's shocked that Shu's mastered something that takes some people years of practice.

"I've done well? My, of course I did. I'm a master of all I wish to do." Shu says.

Kaoru doesn't expect a doll to have an ego, but maybe because he's so finely crafted Shu has a right. But just maybe. Kaoru laughs, this is ridiculous. 

"What are you laughing for?" Shu asks, sounding shocked.

"It's nothing," Kaoru says, trying to hold back laughs, "I'm just shocked."

"Shocked?" Shu asks.

"It's nothing, it's nothing," Kaoru makes vague hand movements. "Don't worry about it."

Shu stays still, looking at Kaoru. Kaoru assumes he's supposed to be staring at him. "Whaaaat?" Kaoru says.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." Shu says, deadpan as he's teasing Kaoru.

"Hey now, that's some sass." Kaoru says and then feels as if Shu's smug, seeing as how Shu held himself.

"It just may be." Shu says.

"Alright, alright. I get it." Kaoru says, "Do you want to watch the movie now?"

"Yes, I'd like that." Shu faces the screen, getting comfortable with the leaf in his lap.

Kaoru finds how attached Shu is to the leaf sort of cute. It'd be cuter if Shu was a girl though, he mentally tacks on. 

Coming to the dance scene, where Kaoru is already absorbed in his phone, he notices Shu singing along. That's another thing Kaoru finds cute. He thinks of saying something, maybe complimenting Shu's singing, but decides against it. Instead he decides to film it. It'd be a nice memory of the night.

Though Kaoru is unsure of why he'd want one. It was a spur of the moment thing but he couldn't bring himself to delete it. 

With Shu's song the moment seems to end sooner and the movie continues on. There's a feeling in Kaoru's chest that he wants it to happen again.

When the movie ends Shu turns to Kaoru, "It's beautiful that she saved him. And loved him no matter how he looked."

"There's actually fans that are bummed he turns into a human." Kaoru says.

"Really? Than perhaps someone will admire me even though I'm a doll." Shu says.

Admire him, Kaoru thought. "How would you meet people?" Kaoru says, not planning to.

Shu's silent, turning back around. "I suppose you're right. I would be a horror subject." And then he laughs, that sad laugh Kaoru didn't like hearing.

"I could buy you some dolls for friends." Kaoru offers up, feeling a bit bad.

"Non. That'd be like you having statues for friends." Shu stares on forward, well, he's always staring, and says nothing. "Is there another movie we should watch?"

Kaoru's not sure what to do next. The last movie played didn't seem to please Shu. Is there something better he should do? He freezes, staring at the screen.

"Sir human?" Shu says, standing up and walking over to where Kaoru's hand is resting to place his hands on it.

Kaoru snaps out if it. "Sir human? I have a name, I though you'd know it by now. I'm Hakaze Kaoru~"

"Hakaze." Shu nods, "I thought so but feared I'd be wrong. Are you alright?"

"Huh? Course I am. Spaced out for a second." Kaoru says.

"Spaced out? Was I boring?" Shu asks.

"No, nooo, don't worry about it." Kaoru uses his free hand's fingers to pat Shu's head, nearly knocking his hat off.

Shu swats at Kaoru's fingers, "Non! You'll ruin my decor!"

Kaoru stifles a laugh. "Aw, I'd be able to fix it. Don't you trust me?"

"You lack the doll maker's grace." Shu says, no hopping away from Kaoru's fingers entirely which only causes him to run into the hand he was touching before with a harsh thump.

Kaoru's blood runs cold, if Shu breaks what will he do? Would Shu die? He freezes up entirely. 

Then he feels Shu place both hands on Kaoru's hand in order to keep himself upright and Kaoru melts. What would he have done if his friend had so suddenly fallen to pieces. 

"My, at least you didn't let me fall." Shu says, "While it's not enough to break me, I fear cracking."

"Cracking?" Kaoru repeats, "What happens if you crack?"

"I crack? Like glass. It'd be very ugly. I suppose if it was bad enough I could lose pieces." Shu says.

"Pieces?" Kaoru asks, growing nervous.

"You could, if found, glue them back into place. But that'd ruin my look. It'd be ugly." Shu says, nodding his head like he's said something wise.

"Guess I should grab some glue next time I'm out." Kaoru jokes, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Ha, as if I'd ever let myself break. It'd be human error if I cracked." Shu scoffs.

"I won't let you crack." Kaoru says, tapping a finger to Shu's chest, "We're bros."

"Bros?" Shu repeats in confusion.

"It means friends." Kaoru says, "We're friends."

"Friends?" Shu repeats, "Very well. Thank you for being my friend, Hakaze." He then pats Kaoru's hand.

Kaoru smiles. "Is there anything you'd like to do? Instead of just watching movies?

Shu looks at Kaoru, silent as he thinks. "I'd like to see more things about those idols."

Kaoru uses his free hand to open a playlist of Undead performances, hey, gotta self-promo. "Here's my stuff. Hope you like."

Shu faces the screen yet keeps his hands on Kaoru's hand. He's still, if he wasn't holding on to Kaoru's hand Kaoru would assume he is a lifeless doll, simply posed. Kaoru keeps his hand still as well. Now nervous that if he moves his hand wrong he'll shatter Shu like glass. 

To make matters worse, Shu climbs on Kaoru's hand, taking a kneeling position. 

"Itsuki-kun? What are you doing?" Kaoru asks, resisting the urge to shake out of anxiety.

"Sitting." Shu answers stoically. 

"Right. But why on me?" Kaoru asks.

"I figured it'd bring me closer to the action of idols." Shu says, what a cute way of thinking. Kaoru doesn't want to correct that way of thinking.

It's a third of the way through the playlist before Kaoru starts yawning causing Shu to face him. "Is it time for bed already?" Shu says, catching Kaoru mid-yawn.

"Guess so." Kaoru holds out his free hand, palm side up so Shu can sit in it. "Come on, I'll put you up."

Shu obliges, climbing into Kaoru's palm so he can be lifted to his chair. He climbs in and then waves at Kaoru. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow."

Kaoru returns the wave. "Night~"

It's in school tomorrow that Kaoru decides he needs to talk about Shu. He goes to the music room and knocks on Rei's coffin. 

There's grunting before the lid slides open. Rei looks around and yawns. "Kaoru-kun?" Rei says.

"Yup, that's me." Kaoru says, grabbing a chair and taking a seat. "I got a question for you."

"You came to me for this? Why, this old man is flattered." Rei says.

"Yeah, yeah, so what do you do when you find out someone you care for can be, you know-" Kaoru makes a vague hand gesture.

Rei nods his head sagely. "I don't know what you mean."

"I have this doll and I'm scared it'll break." Kaoru says.

"Just that? Simply leave the doll alone." Rei responds.

"Can't. It moves around." Kaoru doesn't make eye contact when he says that. He knows how crazy that sounds.

"A haunted doll?" Rei asks.

"He says he's not haunted. Just living." Kaoru corrects Rei. Shu would give Rei an earful if he was there.

"So you're scared it may break as it wanders around?" Rei asks.

"Yeah. I'm scared he'll like. Shatter and die." Kaoru says.

"A reasonable fear. But there's not much I can do to help you." Rei says.

"There's nothing?" Kaoru asks, somewhat distraught.

"It's up to fate what happens with that doll of your's. Perhaps try to treasure every moment of time spent together." Rei says.

Kaoru frowns then standing up with a sigh, "I guess you're right." He slumps his shoulders before heading out of the room.

"See you later," Rei lofty waves before laying back down.

What Rei said bothers Kaoru through out the day. He had only met Shu for real so recently, is it truly possible at any moment he could lose him? He spaces out for the rest of the day, going through everything in a daze.

Before returning home he stops at a toy store. Kaoru scans the shelves looking for something nice to buy Shu. What catches his eyes is a small stuffed bear, made for dolls to pose with. He purchases it, flirting a little bit with the cashier, and heads home.

Kaoru takes Shu down from the shelf and places him on his pillow then places the bag next to him. Kaoru lays on his bed, scrolling through his phone as he waits for Shu to wake up.

"Somewhere new today?" Kaoru hears Shu say.

"Yup." Kaoru reaches by Shu, grabs the bag and then places it in front of Shu. "Got ya something."

Shu stands up and walks closer to the bag, looking like a baby deer on new legs as he walks across the pillow. He gets to the bag and stands on tiptoes, trying to peer inside. "What is it?"

"A gift~ Go on and open it." Kaoru says with a wink.

Shu tries, and fails, to see higher before deciding to just pull the bag over and crawl inside. 

"My," Kaoru hears Shu's muffled voice from inside the bag before seeing Shu crawl from the bag, bear tucked under his arm. "Is this really for me?"

"Yup, got it just for you. You said you had no accessories before." Kaoru says.

"Does this count as an accessory? I suppose I can pose with it." Shu says.

"Go on and give it a name." Kaoru says.

Shu holds the bear up above him, staring at its face. "Monsieur." Shu says.

"Are you naming the bear or calling for me?" Kaoru asks.

"I'm naming it. He's Monsieur." Shu then holds the bear the way a child would. "Is this why you brought me down to the bed?"

Kaoru only brought him down to the bed because he believes such a soft surface is safer for Shu. "Thought somewhere new would be fun."

"Isn't this the place where all your sexual exploits go down?" Shu asks and Kaoru flushes.

"Please don't refer it that way. I thought you'd like somewhere soft." Kaoru says.

Shu jumps once. "It's bouncy too."

"Try not to bounce too hard. I'm pretty sure the number one way kids get into accidents is when they jump on the bed and fall off." Kaoru says.

"I'd certainly have to do a lot of jumping to fall off the bed. I'm small compared to it." Shu says, walking over to Kaoru.

"So, what do you want to do tonight? We can do anything you want." Kaoru says, setting his hand down so Shu can get some support.

Shu takes a seat in Kaoru's hand and sits in silence. He must be thinking, Kaoru thinks. Finally Shu speaks up. "I'd like to see the night."

"The night?" Kaoru repeats.

"I know it's when I awaken but I've never been able to see the night sky." Shu says.

Shu must have lived a life with a lot of restrictions before Kaoru acknowledged him. That causes a pang in Kaoru's chest. "Alright, we'll see the moon." Kaoru picks Shu up and gets off the bed. "Don't move too much, okay? I don't want to drop you."

Kaoru heads down from his room out to the back porch, noticing Shu looking around while he walks. "This is a very nice house." Shu says, proving this is the first time he's ever left Kaoru's room, "You must be very wealthy."

"Ha? I guess. I never thought about it." Kaoru replies, opening the door. He steps out onto the porch and hears Shu gasp.

Keeping on arm around the bear, Shu reaches up as if trying to touch the stars, "It's more beautiful than I ever could've imagined." Shu says and Kaoru could hear the wonder in Shu's voice.

Kaoru had never thought too deeply about the night sky. Sure, walking under the moonlight was romantic, but he'd never thought about how showing someone the sky for the first time would feel. 

It felt pretty magical. This is a moment to be treasured, just like what Rei had said.

"Do you like it?" Kaoru asks.

"I do. I'm so happy this is what brings me to life." Shu settles comfortably back into Kaoru's hand.

Kaoru makes a decision on the spot. "Would you like to see the sunset too? We could stay out here."

"Won't you miss sleep?" Shu turns to face Kaoru slightly.

"It doesn't hurt to miss a couple of hours a sleep once in a while." Kaoru says.

"If so, I'd love to see it." Shu responds, "But I'll freeze up once it fully rises."

"Well, let's enjoy what we can of it." Kaoru walks over to one of then porch chairs and sits down, holding Shu in his lap.

"What do we do as we wait?" Shu asks.

"Well," Kaoru says, thinking for a moment, "Do you have any questions about what life's like outside my room? I'll answer them."

"I have a few." Shu says, this was a fib. He has so many questions about the world. Why the sky was full of stars, why the sun rose and set, and what Kaoru did all day.

Kaoru would answer every question to the best of his ability, apologizing when he couldn't answer something. Shu would respond to his apologies with, "You did the best you could," and ask something else. 

The questions stop when a hint of the sun appears and Shu moves to stare up at the sky. 

Kaoru would say every sunset was beautiful when he was with a girl, it helped set the moment. But this was truly beautiful. He tears his eyes away from the sky to look down at Shu. The sky reflected off Shu's eyes in an array of beautiful colors.

Suddenly, Shu stands and faces Kaoru. "Thank you for all this. It's like I'm truly living for the first time." Shu carefully walks across Kaoru's lap so he can place his hand on Kaoru's chest. "My days passed in a boring haze before we started talking. I thought I'd rot on that chair facing the wall so thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Well, I guess I don't actually have one of those." Shu laughs from joy for the first time and Kaoru feels accomplished. Like he's truly done something good.

"Yea? I'm glad I could show you this stuff." Kaoru says with a gentle smile.

"Your hands, please." Shu asks and Kaoru holds them out. Shu climbs in them. "Soon when the sun is fully out I'll freeze up so hold me tightly so I don't fall." Shu says, holding the bear close to his chest.

"I'll be sure to." Kaoru says and the two watch the sun rise.

With the sun full rose, Kaoru heads inside, careful not to drop Shu, and places Shu back in his chair. "I'll see you tonight," He says, knowing Shu can't hear him. But it felt good to say. Promising to see Shu again made Kaoru feel a reassuring warmth spread through him.

Kaoru dreams of what he can do for Shu tonight as the school day passes, he's trying to make more treasured memories. He decides on a song, Shu had seen his performances on video but never live. Knowing he has such a gift for Shu waiting gives him a little pep in his step. Every comment on how happy he looks Kaoru agrees to, laughing and saying he has something important to do with someone special today. 

Kaoru eagerly awaits for Shu to awake, but not before making sure he looks the best. Well, the best one can when they clearly haven't slept.

Shu's placed on the desk with Kaoru staring at him when Shu awakens. "I'm back here again?" Shu asks.

Kaoru can hardly contain his smile, "Yup~ But I have something special for you today."

"You do?" Shu says.

"I'm going to sing for you." Kaoru says.

"You are? What a lovely gift." Although Shu can't smile Kaoru can tell just how he feels.

"It's my Solo. Feather Heartache. I hope it touches your heart." Kaoru winks before singing. Shu leans forward, as if getting closer would help him hear Kaoru better, still clutching that bear to his chest.

When the song ends Shu tries to clap. His hands are formed in such a way that it's impossible and Kaoru knows Shu knows this which made the applause all that more touching. "That was wonderful!" Shu says.

Seeing how pleased Shu is makes Kaoru happy. It's a reason he can't explain why until something clicks. Kaoru offers his hands out to Shu.

"What's this for?" Shu asks, standing up anyway.

"Just get on." Kaoru says to which Shu obliges. Kaoru lifts Shu up so they're face to face. "Itsuki-kun. I love you." He says, pecking Shu's cheek.

There's a popping sound and suddenly Shu scatters into glitter, leaving the bear he was holding to fall to Kaoru's hands. Kaoru jolts up, calling for Shu only to get no response. He tears his room apart looking for Shu but even the chair where he used to sit has vanished. Kaoru searches till morning before giving in.

Shu was gone. This truly was a sick trick from god. To make him fall in love and then tear it all away from him. Kaoru can't help but cry.

He would've stayed the whole day caged in his room if his father hadn't booted him from the house. With no where else to go, he goes to school, sitting on the roof in a state of distraught, remembering all those things he had done with Shu.

Suddenly, there's the clicking sound of the door opening. Kaoru turns, getting ready to tell whoever is there to leave before seeing the person enter.

It's someone who looked remarkably like Shu, if it weren't for the clothes and the doll the boy is holding it'd be a perfect match. 

"I see someone is here. I'm sorry for disturbing you." The boy says and Kaoru scrabbles to his feet.

"It's no issue. Hey, who are you? I've never seen you here before." Kaoru says, walking over to the boy.

"I'm Itsuki Shu and this is Mademoiselle." Shu says, gesturing to the blonde, well dressed doll he's holding.

Itsuki Shu. Kaoru's heart felt warm. "I'm Hakaze Kaoru, we should chat for a while."


End file.
